


Unexpected Promotions & Perks

by afteriwake



Series: A Thousand Different Lives [15]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Corporate, Anthea (Sherlock)-centric, Anthea is an Intern, Coffee, Daydreaming, Elevators, Eventual Anthea/Mycroft Holmes, F/M, Flirting, Mix-up, Mycroft Flirts, Mycroft Holmes Has Feelings, Mycroft Holmes Has a Crush, Mycroft is an Executive, POV Anthea, Partnership, Promotions, Surprised Anthea
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-29
Updated: 2017-07-29
Packaged: 2018-12-08 11:22:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11645553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: Andrea starts to wonder if she's cut out to be an intern, especially to someoneas interesting and intriguing and handsome in his own waysuch as Mycroft Holmes. Why he chose her to be his intern when the manneverhas interns is beyond her. But when she has a ride in a lift with him and he shares some rather life-changing news with her, her questions are answered and new opportunities unfold.





	Unexpected Promotions & Perks

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Chitarra](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chitarra/gifts).



> So _aaaaages_ ago I put out a call for people to give me ships and pick AUs from a list. **Chitarra** picked Mythea and the boss/intern AU. As I'm not _entirely_ comfortable with the power play dynamics there, I tweaked it a little bit so nothing romantic happens until _after_ they're on a more level footing, so I hope you don't mind?

It was rather...interesting...working in this industry, Andrea thought as she waited for the coffee orders at the cafe on the first floor. She was older than most of the interns in the office by at least a good ten years, if not more. Most of them were fresh out of uni, not having had the optimism kicked out of them yet. She was much more bitter and wizened about the world. In all honesty, she had thought she had failed her interview because she wasn’t fresh-faced and pert and _perky_.

But Mycroft Holmes had stopped her at the door and said he was choosing her to be his personal intern, effective the next morning.

That was a tremendous honour, as Mr. Holmes didn’t bother to have a PA or anyone, really. She’d learned that the next day when everyone made way for her, whispered her name, treated her with reverence and respect.

Until the rumours started that she and Mr. Holmes were an _item_.

Now she wondered if it was all worth it.

Not that she told him that, of course. Truth be told, she was fond of him. He was nicknamed The Iceman in the building, but there were moments when they were alone when the facade cracked and there was warmth beneath the surface. He could be human, be funny and kind. He knew how to treat her in a way that was almost better than the friends she had, than the lovers she’d had, while still not crossing any professional lines.

Though she almost wished he _would_ , at times. He wasn’t the most attractive man, but he was striking, in his own way, and she wondered what it might be like to kiss him, to watch him undress, to be beneath him…

“Thompson!”

She blinked and moved forward to get the coffees, setting them on the tray that was being offered. She liked hers simple, two creams, two sugars. His was even simpler, just black. It was another thing they had in common, liking things simple.

Oh, she fancied her boss. This was _bad_.

She made her way to the lift, expertly balancing the tray with her briefcase in her other hand. She hit the button and waited for it to open, and when it did she was pleased to find, at least for now, she was on the lift by herself. At least if she got caught up in another daydream she wouldn’t embarrass herself again by letting her wayward imagination get the best of her in front of witnesses.

The lift slowly made its way up to the tenth floor, pausing on the third and letting in only one occupant: Mycroft Holmes. Andrea was rather surprised, and he gave her a curt nod. “Mrs. Thompson,” he said.

“Sir,” she said. She moved the tray towards him. “Fresh from the cafe.”

He plucked one of the cups off the tray and then took a sip before making a face. “I think I picked up your coffee by mistake,” he replied.

“I’m sorry,” she said, taking the cup. She expected him to be upset, but there was a small smile on his face.

“I think that it’s about time there was a change in your duties,” he said. “Your skills are put to shame running errands for me, getting me coffee, filing papers. Your insight on ideas have been invaluable.”

She froze as she put the cup back in the tray. “Oh?” she asked curiously.

Mycroft took the tray from her and then took his own coffee out. “I knew from the beginning you would not last long as an intern. You would be too good for such a lowly position. But the imbeciles I work with wouldn’t want someone of your intellect trying to outshine them. I, on the other hand, know that acquiring good talent is paramount in this business.” He took a sip of his coffee. “So as of today, you’ve been promoted to a junior executive.”

She was rather glad he had taken the tray because she knew if he hadn’t there would be coffee spilled all over the floor. “Promoted?”

“I will, of course, be observing your projects, but you’ll have more freedom to work on things you choose. I know you have selected the projects we’ve done together but you’ll be in charge of these new projects yourself, though I do hope we can work together occasionally. It would be delightful to have a chance to continue our partnership.” He took her coffee out of the tray and handed it to her. “Perhaps even outside of business matters.”

Her eyes widened. “Are you...flirting...with me?” she asked, her voice sounding confused.

“Yes,” he said matter-of-factly. “It’s unseemly for a boss to cavort with an intern, but as you’ve just gotten a well-deserved promotion, I do think to pursue you as I’ve wanted to in a non-professional sense since the moment I met you would be an amenable action now.”

Her mind started to work again and a slow smile spread across her face before she took a sip of her coffee. “I think a mutually beneficial partnership could be agreed upon,” she said. “Perhaps we could discuss the parameters of it over lunch today?”

“I think lunch could be a start to negotiations,” Mycroft said with a nod. “Perhaps they could continue over dinner? And drinks afterward?”

“I would be open to extended negotiations,” she said with a nod, her smile widening before she took another sip of her coffee. She was still reeling a bit from all of this hitting her at once, but this was all that she could have hoped for: a good job, some sort of relationship with Mr. Holmes... _Mycroft_ …and even if tongues wagged she would live through it. She knew her worth, knew she had earned it, and if others didn’t they could just deal with it. She would not let anything ruin this day, this moment. Not anything at all.


End file.
